


Who tells the story

by everyoneinspaceisgay



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: BAMF Minerva McGonagall, Fix It, Happy Ending, M/M, Some Swearing, Some angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-07
Updated: 2018-11-07
Packaged: 2019-08-04 23:54:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16356695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everyoneinspaceisgay/pseuds/everyoneinspaceisgay
Summary: What if PoA ended a little differently?





	Who tells the story

**Author's Note:**

> Characters belong to JKR but she has bad opinions... No profit made except happy gay feelings.
> 
> Thank you so much to @museinabsentia and @luminousgloom for betaing, and to the fest organisers, and everyone else who has supported me and put up with me whilst I wrote this!

“You mean to tell me,” McGonagall paused, taking a deep breath. “You mean to tell me that Sirius Black is innocent, and that you just sent two teenagers back in time rather than inform the relevant authorities?”

Harry froze underneath the invisibility cloak, causing Hermione to collide with his back. He recognised McGonagall’s tone from his time with the Dursleys as the dangerous calm that came before an explosion.

“What’s wrong?” hissed Hermione, and he looked pointedly at the two professors. 

“You mean to tell me that you sent two _children_ to sort out a mess of astronomical proportions with a _time turner_? Merlin, Albus, all manner of things could go wrong.”

“My dear McGonagall, I trust Harry. This way the Ministry won’t interfere.”

“Won’t interfere. You mean like they haven’t interfered by having those wretched creatures on school grounds? You mean like how Fudge isn’t here right now authorising the Kiss on an innocent man? You mean like they haven’t interfered for the last 13 years, most of which an innocent man spent rotting in Azkaban without a trial? When Sev-Snape would have known he was innocent. Are you trying to tell me that Snape didn’t know? Did you know?!”

“Professor McGonagall, I must ask you to calm down. You’ll wake Mr Weasley.”

“Calm down?!” she nearly shrieked. “You’re asking me to calm down?! Calm down when I find out that an innocent man has been suffering for years and you had the key to set him free and you did nothing? That even now you don’t intend to help him clear his name when any minute he’s going to be Kissed? And let’s not forget, you sent two children to deal with it using a time turner when there are dementors and executioners and werewolves and all sorts running around the grounds. You have no right to tell me to calm down.”

Hermione was staring at Harry with wide, frightened eyes. Harry didn’t know what to think. Had Dumbledore known? How would Snape have known? If he knew, why did he want the dementors to perform the Kiss?

“Minerva, please stop being so hysterical. I have the utmost confidence that Harry and Hermione will have delivered Buckbeak to Sirius before the dementors could perform the kiss. They should be arriving back any moment. In fact-” Dumbledore turned and looked almost directly at Harry “I wouldn’t be surprised if they were already here.”

Hermione tugged Harry towards the hospital wing door, shoving him and the cloak towards his bed as she jumped into hers. Harry didn’t think the adults had seen them, but it was seriously spooky how Dumbledore had seemed to know they were there. Just then, Dumbledore locked the door, still telling McGonagall to calm down. Hearing the main door lock, Madam Pomfrey bustled in from her office at the end of the room.

“Did I hear the Headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?” she asked.  
She was in a bad mood, and Harry and Hermione quietly munched on the chocolate she’d given them, despite Harry’s nerves being so on edge that he could barely swallow. What had McGonagall meant about Snape knowing Sirius was innocent? Since Dumbledore had locked the door they weren’t able to hear the professors’ argument, if it had even continued. Suddenly, a distant roar of fury caused Harry to choke on his fourth piece of chocolate. Madam Pomfrey looked up in alarm. 

“He didn’t disapparate!” Snape roared, much closer. “You can’t apparate or disapparate inside this castle. This. Has. Something. To. Do. With Potter!”

The hospital wing door burst open and an apoplectic Snape stormed in, followed closely by an angry Fudge, a red faced McGonagall, and a remarkably calm Dumbledore. 

“Out with it, Potter!” bellowed Snape. “What did you do?!”

Harry felt like a deer caught in a car’s headlights. Madam Pomfrey was shouting at Snape, Dumbledore and McGonagall were attempting to calm him down, Fudge was looking completely bewildered at Snape’s behaviour, and Snape himself… Snape’s eyes were full of hatred and Harry genuinely thought he might try to murder him. Finally Dumbledore managed to interrupt Snape’s ranting.

“That’ll do, Severus.” he said quietly. “The door to the hospital wing has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago and Madam Pomfrey has been here the entire time. Unless you are suggesting that Harry is able to be in two places at once, I’m afraid I don’t see any point in troubling them further.”

Snape stared at them all for a moment, before storming out and slamming the door behind him. 

“To uh, fill you in, Harry, Sirius appears to have escaped before the dementors could administer the kiss.” said McGonagall, barely able to contain her smile. “Now, I think it may be time for you to explain the truth about Sirius to the Minister.”

Fudge began to protest but McGonagall’s sharp stare silenced him immediately.

“He’s innocent.” Harry started, wondering where to begin. “My father, Sirius and Peter Pettigrew were all animagi. They learnt so that they could accompany Remus on full moons. Peter was the one to be the secret keeper, they thought no one would suspect him, but he betrayed my parents to Voldemort. He can turn into a rat, which is what he did when Sirius confronted him. He cut off his own finger, which is why it was the only part of him you could find.” His sentences were tumbling over each other but he was desperate to make the Minister understand. 

Fudge turned to Dumbledore and McGonagall. “You can’t… You don’t believe this, do you?” 

Dumbledore nodded gravely. 

“What’s more,” Professor McGonagall interjected, “Snape knew. You know that he was a double agent in the war - that’s how we found out about the prophecy in the first place! He was He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named’s most trusted servant. Do you really think he didn’t know who betrayed the Potter’s? He was probably there!”

All the blood drained out of Fudges face, and he swayed slightly as though he was going to faint. “But.. but Dumbledore vouched for Snape! He even gave evidence to the Ministry about Black being the Potters’ secret keeper.”

“May I suggest,” Madam Pomfrey cut in, quiet fury radiating from her “That you continue this conversation somewhere other than my hospital wing where I have three young patients who have already seen and heard far more than they ought to tonight.” She ushered the adults out of the room and returned to Harry and Hermione, muttering angrily. “If you need anything, I’m just going to be in my office.”

Just then there was a low moan from the other end of the ward and a very confused looking Ron peered at them. “What happened? Where’s Sirius, Lupin? What happened?”

_________________________________________________________________________

Remus was just staring at the case which contained the sum total of his belongings, minus a few odds and ends which he had yet to pack when Dumbledore entered without knocking. 

“Ah, Remus. I had hoped I would catch you before you left.”

Apprehensively, Remus looked up to meet his sharp eyes. “What can I do for you, headmaster?”

“I have suggested to Sirius that he lie low at yours for the foreseeable future, at least until I decide what to do about his… legal status.”

“Until _you_ decide?” The words were out of Remus’ mouth before he could stop himself.

“I am aware, Mr Lupin, that you were very _fond_ of Mr Black. But the point remains that there is very little evidence for his version of events and even in the case that it was put before the Wizengamot there is the small issue of his unregistered animagus status.”

Remus swallowed. This wasn’t an argument he could afford to have now. It wasn’t even his argument to begin with. Besides, there were more pressing issues with the professor’s proposition. “Professor Dumbledore,” he began, wondering how to phrase what should be an obvious flaw in the old man’s plan. “Whereabouts do you suggest we go?”

“I imagine you would have room for Sirius at your house… flat?”

“Hmm, I suppose I might, if such a place existed. Forgive me headmaster, but I’m sure you’re aware how difficult it is for a werewolf to find a landlord willing to rent to him or a job to pay said rent. Since Severus’ latest indiscretion even places I have stayed before are unlikely to welcome me back, for fear of repercussions.”

Dumbledore didn’t blink, and for the first time Remus noticed how cold those blue eyes were. “Perhaps then, your father could assist. I seem to remember he has a spare bedroom.” It felt as though Dumbledore was being deliberately obtuse. Lyall was known to be a recluse and hadn’t spoken to his son in years. “I’m sure you’ll work something out.”

With that, the headmaster left, leaving Remus staring after him with a stomach full of knots. He’d been elated when he first saw Sirius after all those years, but the reality hadn’t taken long to sink in. Sirius hadn’t trusted him, which meant he certainly couldn’t have loved him. It was almost as though he was grieving all over again, this time not for the perceived betrayal to the Death Eaters, but to the knowledge that even though Sirius hadn’t harboured those ideals afterall, Remus had not been enough. It was awful to admit, but the pain was almost worse this time around, coupled as it was with the knowledge that the man he’d mourned for over a decade was the true reason that their friendship group had been torn apart.

By the time Profes-Minerva and Harry had dropped in, he felt exhausted. Minerva wanted to contact Amelia Bones to see if she would represent Sirius and Harry wanted him to stay at Hogwarts and none of them seemed to be bothered about what he might be feeling about the whole thing. Perhaps that wasn’t fair to Harry, but the two Professors had ruffled his feathers, whether he believed they were trying to help or not.  
_________________________________________________________________________

The sounds of Sirius’ mother’s portrait shouting obscenities could still be heard over the sound of the kettle Sirius had shoved on to boil, more as something to do than for any desire for a cup of tea. Remus might want one though, he supposed. It was the first time that he had spent much time alone in the same room with him without resorting to dog-form. Their joyous reunion had been shortlived, and the second time Sirius had seen Remus since Azkaban had been… awkward. 

They hadn’t really spoken since the Shrieking Shack, but he could feel the unhappiness radiating from Remus any time they had to spend time together, which is why he’d primarily spent his time as ‘Padfoot’. It was still somewhat of a comfort even away from the Dementors, as the negative feelings hadn’t disappeared when he’d left the island prison. Whilst he no longer wallowed in his worst memories, there were new difficult emotions to process. Obviously he understood that he couldn’t just go back to how everything had been in 1981 but he had no idea how to deal with the distance that Remus seemed to wish to maintain between the two of them even when they were living together. 

The kettle whistled, letting him know it was boiled, and he rushed to fill the two mugs he’d prepared. Sliding Remus’ cup towards him, Sirius desperately tried to think of something to say.

“So uh, you been keeping busy?” he started, cursing his sudden lack of social skills.

“I’ve just been trying to clean this godforesaken house for the past few weeks, as you well know.”

“I know.” Merlin, this was painful. “But, uh, what about before? What were you doing before you took the job at Hogwarts?”

“Not much.”

Clearly, small talk wasn’t going to cut it. They used to be able to communicate almost without words, and silences felt comfortable but this just felt as though he was drowning. Sirius took a deep breath, and continued, feeling almost obligated to fill the silence with _something_. “I was wondering, seeing as Snape isn’t making the Wolfsbane anymore, and since I don’t really know what you did for transformations whilst I was… away and well um what I mean is, would you like Padfoot to accompany you?”

Remus looked surprised for a moment, and then his face closed off again. “No, you needn’t bother. I manage.”

“It… it wouldn’t be a bother? I don’t want you to get hurt anymore than necessary.” Remus’ response was not what Sirius had expected. He had thought that perhaps Remus might need space, but the idea that Sirius might not want to help him in any way he could? He felt ill.

“Why?” Remus’ face was carefully blank, and he sounded almost angry.

“Because you’re you, and I care about you, and you’re my…” Sirius swallowed. He couldn’t have expected Remus to have waited for him. “...best friend.”

A bitter laugh escaped Remus now, that cut like a knife into Sirius’ stomach. “You care about me huh? Just not enough to trust me?” 

Sirius’ confusion must have shown on his face because Remus continued. 

“Oh come on Sirius, don’t act innocent. You didn’t trust me then, why else would you have chosen Peter to be the secret keeper. You could have at least been honest, instead of letting me think that you actually lov-cared about me. Anyway, you don’t have to pretend anymore.”

Sirius hadn’t thought that his heart could break any further, but he had definitely been wrong about that. Remus didn’t believe he’d loved him? Still loved him?

“Moony no… I… I did it to keep you safe! Being secret keeper was essentially a suicide mission and I couldn’t afford to lose you, not ever.”

Remus looked shocked, but quickly pulled himself together, arms tightly wrapped around himself as if they could stop him from falling apart. “How am I meant to believe that? You could have at least told me.”

“Because I was ashamed that I wasn’t doing it. Because I knew you would want to. Because maybe a small part of me wondered about you but I didn’t care because I love you so much. Because either way I still ended up killing James and Lily and losing you anyway.”

The silence after Sirius’ outburst was almost unbearable. Finally Remus spoke. “I’m not lost.” He breathed deeply. “Even if you loved me then, a lot of time has passed.”

“Present tense, Moony. But I get it, you don’t feel the same way anymore, and I respect that. But I still want to help you for the same reasons I learnt to become an animagus in the first place.”

Every bone in Sirius’ body itched to transition to dog-form immediately, to get away from these awful human emotions that were swelling inside of him, but he knew that if he did then they wouldn’t have this conversation again. Remus was just staring at him, and Sirius could almost hear the cogs turning in his head. After what felt like an hour, but may have only been a few minutes, Remus collapsed onto a chair and buried his head in his hands. It was still another age before he spoke.

“You love me.” It was a statement, not a question.

“Yes.”

Remus nodded slowly. “OK. You can be there when I transform.”

Sirius smiled. It was a small thing, but it felt like progress. And he would be able to keep his Moony safe.  
_________________________________________________________________________

Remus woke early on the first day of Sirius’ trial, and every day that followed for the next month. He went to bed late, after long talks with Amelia Bone (who had agreed to represent Sirius on Professor McGonagall’s request) or with Harry, who was shaken after the events at the Quidditch World Cup. The sun had already risen on the day of the verdict by the time he fell asleep at Sirius’ kitchen table.

A smell of coffee and chocolate woke him, and he opened his eyes to see Sirius smiling softly at him, fondness written all over his face. Despite himself, he smiled back, before yelping when he saw the time.

“Shit, Sirius, we’re going to be late! Shit shit shit shit shit fuck…”

“Moony, calm. I got your clothes ready.”

Just then, Harry poked his head into the kitchen.

“Harry, what are you doing here?” Remus asked, puzzled. They’d only dropped him off at Kings Cross a week ago.

“I’m here for Sirius, duh! McGonagall gave permission for me to miss today’s classes if I caught up in her office later.” Harry walked into the kitchen properly so that Remus could see that his hair had been liberally covered in Sleekeazy and he was wearing his smartest robes. The green really did bring out his eyes, but otherwise he looked very much like a young James at one of his parents’ charity balls. Both Sirius and Remus were stunned into silence, and Harry’s face twisted into uncertainty.

“Hey! That’s great! There’s no one I’d rather see than my favourite godson when I’m finally declared a free man.” Sirius said quickly

“Yeah?”

“Of course.”

“Who did your hair though?” Remus asked with only a hint of mirth in his voice.

“Hermione.” Harry pulled a face. “I told her it wouldn’t stay like this.” As if it had heard him, a small section of hair stood to attention, causing him to look like a darker-complexioned Tintin. 

Sirius burst out laughing, and Remus swore he could see his tail wagging, even though he was definitely human in that moment. Next thing he knew, he was being dragged into a hug, Harry sandwiched between his two “uncles”. Sirius swept them both up, planting a wet kiss on Remus’ cheek. Before he could think about it too much, Remus tilted his head so that their lips met. It was a perfect moment he wanted to last forever, that could only be improved with the knowledge that Sirius had been aquitted. Unfortunately, the teenage boy between them had other opinions on the matter. 

As they broke apart, Sirius grinned wider than Remus had seen since before Azkaban, and whispered “Later. Promise?” 

“Promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> I've written a lot more in this AU than is here. If people are interested in one-shots (mostly between these scenes) or a chaptered fic (following the rest of the books but with this crucial change) then let me know :)
> 
> This is my first fest fic.


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